Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification of Rights

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification of Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords
students certain rights with respect to their education records.

They are:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within
45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

Students should submit to the Registrar, Dean, Head of the Academic
Department, or other appropriate official, written request that identify the
record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements
for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may
be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to
whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the
correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records
that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in
violation of the student's privacy rights.

Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is
inaccurate or identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify
why it is inaccurate or misleading.

If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the
student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the
student of his or her right to hearing regarding the request for amendment.
Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to
the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable
information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent
that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to
University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University
official is a person employed by the University in an administrative,
supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law
enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom
the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection
agent); a person serving on the Board of Higher Education; or a student
serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance
committee, or assisting another University official in performing his or her
tasks. a University official has a legitimate educational interest if the
official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her
professional responsibility.

Upon request, the University discloses education records without a
student's consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or
intends to enroll.

The right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the
following categories of personally identifiable information as directory
information, at which is not subject to the above restrictions on
disclosure:

major field of study, including the college, division, department, or program in which
the student is enrolled

classification as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student, or by
number referring to such cases

participation in officially recognized activities and sports

weight and height of members of athletic teams

dates of attendance and graduation, and degrees received

the most recent educational institutional attended

honors and awards received, including selection to a Dean's list or honorary organization,
and the grade point average of students selected

photographic, video or electronic images of students taken and maintained by the University

Any student wishing to exercise this right must inform the University
Registrar in writing no later than the10th class day of the semester, of the
categories of personally identifiable information which are not to be
designated as directory information with respect to that student.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education
concerning alleged failures by MSU to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: